When a power outage hits, your first priority is to open branch panel breakers, feeder breakers, and then main breakers. When restarting, work in the opposite direction to avoid closing breakers under load.
Speed other responses by:
- Printing outage work orders. Keep them in a book marked "Power Outage."
- Making an outage cart. Use it as your rolling office. Chain the "Power Outage" book to it, and attach lists of needed tools and test equipment so nobody has to think about what to grab while the power's out and the "heat is on."
- Forming teams. Pre-assign small outage teams, each with a captain (and alternate), specific tasks to handle during an outage.
- Doing dry runs. Perform outage drills in the same sense you perform fire drills.
